Device for moving a web in a rotary printing press for the printing of varying formats

ABSTRACT

A rotary printing press for printing varying formats on a continuous web of paper that is fed in an intermittent manner, includes the combination of a feed mechanism and a compensating roll means in order to maintain the web of paper continuously under a uniform pressure. In addition, the control of the compensating roll means permits the web of paper to be pulled through the printing machine with constant speed during the rolling of the printing plate, in a manner that the movement of the compensating roll means compensates for the sinusoidal movement of the intermittent feed so as to establish a constant speed of the paper web.

[ Aug.6, I974 1 DEVICE FOR MOVING A WEB IN A ROTARY PRINTING PRESS FORTHE PRINTING OF VARYING- FORMATS [75] Inventor: Mikulas Budai, Gallen,Switzerland [73] Assignee: Firma Ferd Ruesch Maschinenfabrick, St.Gallen, Switzerland 22 Filed: Sept. 25, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 291,842

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 2,690,121 9/1954 Auerbacher et a1101/181 2,758,541 8/1956 Tison 226/113 UX 3,084,841 4/1963 Hata et a1.226/113 3,162,345 12/1964 Gallard et a1, 226/95 3,276,648 10/1966 Lewis,Jr. et a1. 226/33 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 604,810 10/1934Germany 101/228 559,388 2/1944 Great Britain 101/228 580,906 9/1946Great Britain Primary Examiner-J. Reed Fisher [57] ABSTRACT A rotaryprinting press for printing varying formats on a continuous web of paperthat is fed in an intermittent manner, includes the combination of afeed mechanism and a compensating roll means in order to maintain theweb of paper continuously under a uniform pressure. In addition, thecontrol of the compensating roll means permits the web of paper to bepulled through the printing machine with constant speed during therolling of the printing plate, in a manner that the movement of thecompensating roll means compensates for the sinusoidal movement of theintermittent feed so as to establish a constant speed of the paper web.

11 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures May 23, 1972 Germany 2224970 [52] US. Cl.101/228, 101/D1G. 21 [51] Int. Cl B411 13/04, B4lj 15/16 [58] Field ofSearch 101/228, 181, 178-180, 101/182, 219, DIG. 21; 226/1, 4, 33, 95,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,044,242 11/1912 Preschlin101/181 1,978,715 10/1934 Meisel 101/228 2,140,834 12/1938 Gazette101/228 2,263,323 11/1941 Wickwire,.1r 101/182 PATENTEDMJB 618143.827.358

SHfEI 1 8F 7 Fig. 1

PATENIED 51974 SHEET 2 OF 7 ummus 3.827. 358

SHEU 6 UF 7 mammws 61914 f 3.827.358

sum 1 or 7 Fig. 16 Fig; 17 I DEVICE FOR MOVING A WEB IN A ROTARYPRINTING PRESS FOR THE PRINTING OF VARYING FORMATS The present inventionrelates to a device which is intended to move a web in a rotary printingpress for the printing of varying formats and to which the web is fedstepwise, for instance, by an intermittently operating printing orpunching machine.

Combined printing and punching machines are known in which punching androtary printing are carried out intermittently. The advance of the paperweb in the intermittent part operates with a sinusoidally varying speedwhich increases from and drops back to 0. However it is necessary tomaintain the speed of the rotary printing cylinder constant at leastduring the rolling of the printing plate on the paper web. Thisnecessary change in the speeds of the paper web is obtained in the knownapparatus in the manner that the web of paper is fed by the intermittentfeed into a loose loop from which it is pulled into the printing machineby a feeddevice of the latter. The loose loop, however, has thedisadvantage that the paper web which is stretchable is not under auniform tension within the two parts of the machine. As a resultdifferences in register occur between the punching and the printing,which differences can be compensated for only by expensive scanning andcontrol devices, such as optical means.

The known devices furthermore have the disadvantage that upon a changein the printing format, the printing and impression cylinders must bereplaced if the printing mechanism is to be operated with the samespeed.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the invention to provide adevice which permits the intermittent punching and rotary printing ofvarying formats without the necessity of replacing the printing andimpression cylinders, and by which device a printing mechanism ofconstant circumferential speed may be used.

This problem is solved in an apparatus which consists of anintermittently operating machine part, a rotary printing mechanismdriven at all times with constant speed and provided with unchangedprinting and impression cylinders and a variably controllablecompensating or dancing roll, as well as a feed printing mechanism feedwhich is arranged behind the rotary printing mechanism and permits apulling back of the web. By the cooperation of compensating roll andfeed, the result is obtained, on the one hand, that the web of paper iscontinuously under a uniform tension. On the other hand, the control ofthe compensating roll permits the web of paper to be pulled through theprinting machine with constant speed during the rolling of the printingplate, in a manner that the movement of the compensating or dancing rollcompensates for the sinusoidal speed of the intermittent feed so as toestablish a constant speed of the paper web.

By the device of the subject invention, it is furthermore possible towork any desired punching and printing lengths, provided that they arenot greater than the maximum circumferential part of the printingcylinder. If the length of the printing segment is, for instance, athird of the circumference of the printing cylinder, while the punchingand printing surface and thus the length of advance is only half thelength of the printing segment, the compensating roll pulls thedifference between length of advance and length of the printing segmentback out of the printing machine.

The compensating roll is preferably controlled via a cam which isconnected with the main drive for the punching and printing machine.

The compensating roll is preferably arranged for free translation inball bearings on a shaft which, via its shaft slidehead, is moved up anddown by cams by control rods in guides. On the ends of the shaft thereare preferably arranged fixed gears which engage with fixed racks so asto assure a dependable parallel guiding of the compensating roll. Therack guide makes it possible to move the shaft slidehead up and downonly by one control rod in a guide. The control rod is provided at itslower end with a freely supported disk which travels on the cam and bytension springs which are connected with the upward and downward movingshaft slidehead and the fixed lower part of the machine.

The feed of the rotary printing mechanism is a friction feed that ispreferably a vacuum feed which consists of a perforated drum to whichthere is applied a constant or variable vacuum which can be controlledfor the movements of thecompensating roll. The control of the vacuum orthe pulling of the web by the perforated drum is effected with constantvacuum preferably by a control segment arranged in the drum whichalternately covers the perforated surface of the drum. The control can,however, also be achieved with timedependent vacuum control valves and avacuum space of constant size in the drum. This solution is mechanicallysimpler and more dependable.

The rotary printing mechanism preferably consists of an impressioncylinder and a printing cylinder which may be provided with printingplates of different length and for different printing processes so thatupon a change in the format, only the printing plate need be changed,while in case of a change of the printing method, only the inking andapplicator mechanism need be changed. In this way it is possible to usewith the subject rotary printing mechanism all known printing processessuch as aniline-printing, relief printing, indirect relief printing andwet offset printing, without having to change the printing andimpression cylinders or their drive.

By way of further explanation of the invention, reference is made to thefollowing detailed description and illustrative embodiments of theinvention shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a combined printing and punching machine withcommon drive,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the compensating roll with guides anddrive,

FIG. 3 is a further embodiment of the compensating roll with guide anddrive,

FIG. 4 is a section through the vacuum feed,

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side view of the vacuum feed in accordance withanother embodiment,

FIG. 6 is an axial section through the drum of FIG.

FIGS. 7-13 are different diagrams of the movement of the compensatingroll, and

FIGS. 14-17 are diagrams of printing mechanisms for different printingprocesses which can be used on the rotary printing machine of thesubject invention.

The combined printing and punching machine shown schematically in FIG. 1consists of a rotary printing mechanism 1 having a printing cylinder 2,impression cylinder 3, and an inking and transfer mechanism 4. In frontof the rotary printing mechanism 1, as seen in the direction of the web,there is arranged the compensating roll means 5, while behind the rotaryprinting mechanism 1, as seen in the direction of the web, the frictionfeed 6 is arranged.

In the combined printing and punching machine, a web of paper is firstpunched in a shallow punch press 7 and thereupon advanced by a grip feed8 to the compensating roll 5. The printing and punching machine has acommon drive 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, the compensating roll is arranged freely movable onball bearings on a shaft 11 which is seated in a shaft slidehead 12. Onthe shaft slidehead 12 there are arranged control rods 13 which areguided in guides 17. At the lower end of the control rods 13 there arearranged freely supported disks 18 which travel on cams 9 and are heldby means of a tension spring 19 permanently against the cams 9. The cams9 are arranged on a rod which is connected via gears with the main driveof the printing and punching machine.

In accordance with the second embodiment of the compensating roll 5shown in FIG. 3, fixedly mounted on the shaft 11 are two gears 14 whichare in engagement with stationary racks 15. By the rack guidance it ispossible for the shaft slidehead 12 to be held by the pull of thssprings 19 by means of the freely supported wheel 18 on only one cam 9via a single control rod 16 which travels in the guide 17; the cam 9being rigidly connected with the main drive 10 of the printing andpunching machine.

The arrangement in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 3 has theadvantage over the first embodiment that a smaller mass which is movableback and forth and fewer slide guides are present. The parallel guidingof the shaft slidehead 12 is adjustable by the gears 14 and racks l5.

In FIG. 4 there is shown an embodiment of a vacuum feed which consistsof a perforated drum 6 in which a stationary radial wall 20 and amovable radial wall 21 define a vacuum chamber 22. On the movable radialwall 21 there is arranged a circular segment 23. The movable radial wall21 bearing the circular segment 23 is movable via the lever 24 which isguided on a cam 25.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 there is shown a further embodiment of a vacuum feed.In the perforated drum 6 there are arranged two stationary radial walls26, 27 which define the vacuum chamber 22. The vacuum in the vacuumchamber 22 is controlled by a control valve 28 which is opened to agreater or lesser extent by a cam 29. The vacuum applied to the vacuumchamber 22 is variable by means of the control valve 28, while in theembodiment shown in FIG. 4 it is at all times the same.

As can be noted from FIG. 1, the web of paper 30 is first pulled from asupply roll 31 by a roller feed 32 into a loop 33. The gripper feed 8pulls the web of paper 30 stepwise into the punching machine in which,when the feed movement is at a standstill, the web of paper is worked bythe punching mechanism 7 which may also be a flat printing mechanism ornumbering mechanism. The gripper feed 8 then pulls the web of paper 30forward by an additional length. The web of paper 30 is held undertension by the continuously operating friction feed 6.

The purpose of the compensating roll 5 is to control the intermittentfeed of the web of paper with respect to the rotary printingmechanism 1. This control, as can be noted from FIGS. 7-13, operates asfollows:

In the showing of FIG. 7, the web of paper is at a standstill both inthe punching machine and in the rotary printing machine since thegripper feed 8 has come to a stop. The compensating roll 5 is at itslower point of reversal, and the vacuum feed has lesser force, due tolesser vacuum or reduced suction surface, and does not convey the web ofpaper but only holds it under tension. The printing cylinder which iscontinuously rotated has its printing plate which protrudes beyond theperiphery of the printing cylinder moved away from the web of paper andis directly in front of the ink transfer (not shown).

In FIG. 8 the gripper feed 8 has completed its feeding movement in thedirection towards the rotary printing machine. The compensating roll 5has reached its upper point of reversal and during its upward movementhas carried along the length of paper conveyed by the gripper feed 8.The vacuum feed has not conveyed the web of paper but merely braked it,which is possible, depending on the development of the vacuum feed andforce of attraction of the paper web by reducing the aspiratingperforated surface or reducing the vacuum in the vacuum chamber. Theinking of the printing cylinder has at the same time been completed.

As can be noted from FIG. 9, the paper web 30 is clamped fixed inposition at the end of the gripper feed. The feed slide is in returntravel. The compensating roll 5 by a downward movement releases thepaperweb for the rolling of the printing plate on the paper web withsimultaneous conveyance of the paper web. The paper web 30 is pulledforward by the vacuum feed 6 which operates with greater vacuum.

As can be noted from FIGS. 10-13, due to the movement of thecompensating roll, the web of paper, during the rolling of the printingplate, reaches a speed which is synchronous with the printing cylinder,while the speed of conveyance of the web of paper by the gripper feedproceeds sinusoidally. The compensating roll therefore fulfills the taskof converting the sinusoidal movement of the web of paper during theprinting process into a constant motion. During the printing process thecompensating roll moves downward, after it has passed through the regionof synchronous speed. The process can now start from the beginning.

The device permits the printing of any desired printing length less thanthe length of the printing segment.

For the adjusting of the machine to different printing formats it ismerely necessary to change the length of feed of the gripper feed 8, toprovide the printing cylinder 2 with a corresponding printing plate andto pro vide the punching mechanism with a corresponding punch tool.

As can be noted from FIGS. 14-17, all customary rotary printingprocesses can be employed. In FIG. 14 the rotary printing mechanism 1 isadjusted for wet offset printing, in connection with which theimpression cylinder 2 is provided with a rubber blanket 5 over which theprinting plate cylinder P is arranged. The printing plate cylinder P canbe easily installed into the rotary printing mechanism ll together withthe inking and moistening mechanism in case of correspondingarrangement.

ln FIGJIS the rotary printing mechanism 1 is set up for indirect reliefprinting. The impression cylinder 2 also bears a rubber blanket on whichthe plate cylinder P is rolled, the plate cylinder being inked by theinking mechanism arranged on it.

In FIG. 16 there is shown a letter press of conventional type in whichthe printing cylinder 2 is provided with a printing plate or a numberingcylinder.

In FIG. 17 there is shown an arrangement for aniline printing in whichthe printing cylinder 2 bears a printing plate.

By the device in accordance with the invention there is provided anextremely large number of different atrangements of a rotary printingmechanism and its connection to a flat, punching or lithographicprinting mechanism, without completely converting the machine in thepreviously customary manner. The device therefore has the advantage thatwithout loss of time for setting up small lengths of web, it can beprinted with different formats and different printing processes.

While the invention has been described in connection with severalpreferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended tolimit the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, it is intendedto cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may beincluded within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Device for moving a stream of a continuous web through a rotaryprinting machine for printing varying formats comprising:

drive means operatively connected to said rotary printing machine fordriving the latter at constant speed;

intermittently operated feed means, disposed upstream of the rotaryprinting machine, for feeding incremental lengths of the continuous webto said rotary printing machine, said intermittently operated feed meansbeing driven by said drive means;

constantly operated feed means driven by said drive means and disposeddownstream of the rotary printing machine, said constantly operated feedmeans being operative to pull said continuous web at a uniform tension;and

compensating means including rolls driven by said drive means anddisposed between said intermittently operated feed means and the rotaryprinting machine, with the continuous web passing through saidcompensating means whereby said compensating means is operative to takeup any slack in the continuous web as it is intermittently fed by said 6intermittently operated feed means prior to its passing through theconstantly rotating rotary printing machine.

2. Device according to claim 1 further including a cam means, said cammeans being driven by said drive means and operatively connected to thecompensating means for controlling movement of the compensating means.

3. Device according to claim 2 wherein the compensating means includes ashaft that is freely rotatable with ball bearings, which is seated in ashaft slidehead that is moved up and down in guides via said cam means.

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein, on the ends of said shaft thereare arranged fixed gears which are in engagement with stationary racks,and the shaft slidehead is seated on a control rod which is movable upand down in the guide via a freely rotatable disk which is arranged onthe end of the rod and travels on the cam means and which is held on thelatter by tension springs arranged on the lower part of the printingmachine.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the rotary printing mechanismconsists of an impression cylinder and a printing cylinder which can beprovided with printing plates of different lengths, and which isprovided with replaceable inking and ink-transfer mechanism.

6. Device according to claim I further including a punch press driven bysaid drive means and disposed upstream of the intermittently operatedfeed means and through which the continuous web is passed and punched.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the constantly operated feedmeans comprises a friction feed.

8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the friction feed includes aperforated drum having a vacuum chamber which is defined by stationaryradial walls and to which a vacuum is applied and which may be variedvia a control valve.

9. Device according to claim 7, wherein the friction feed includes aperforated drum in which a variable vacuum chamber is formed by a firstfixed radial wall and a second radial wall rotatable on a shaft, towhich vacuum chamber a constant vacuum is applied.

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein the second radial wall isprovided with a circular segment extending along the inner wall of theperforated drum.

11. Device according to claim 9, wherein the second radial wall is movedvia a lever which is guided on a cam.

1. Device for moving a stream of a continuous web through a rotaryprinting machine for printing varying formats comprising: drive meansoperatively connected to said rotary printing machine for driving thelatter at constant speed; intermittently operated feed means, disposedupstream of the rotary printing machine, for feeding incremental lengthsof the continuous web to said rotary printing machine, saidintermittently operated feed means being driven by said drive means;constantly operated feed means driven by said drive means and disposeddownstream of the rotary printing machine, said constantly operated feedmeans being operative to pull said continuous web at a uniform tension;and compensating means including rolls driven by said drive means anddisposed between said intermittently operated feed means and the rotaryprinting machine, with the continuous web passing through saidcompensating means whereby said compensating means is operative to takeup any slack in the continuous web as it is intermittently fed by saidintermittently operated feed means prior to its passing through theconstantly rotating rotary printing machine.
 2. Device according toclaim 1 further including a cam means, said cam means being driven bysaid drive means and operatively connected to the compensating means forcontrolling movement of the compensating means.
 3. Device according toclaim 2 wherein the compensating means includes a shaft that is freelyrotatable with ball bearings, which is seated in a shaft slidehead thatis moved up and down in guides via said cam means.
 4. Device accordingto claim 3, wherein, on the ends of said shaft there are arranged fixedgears which are in engagement with stationary racks, and the shaftslidehead is seated on a control rod which is movable up and down in theguide via a freely rotatable disk which is arranged on the end of therod and travels on the cam means and which is held on the latter bytension springs arranged on the lower part of the printing machine. 5.Device according to claim 1, wherein the rotary printing mechanismconsists of an impression cylinder and a printing cylinder which can beprovided with printing plates of different lengths, and which isprovided with replaceable inking and ink-transfer mechanism.
 6. Deviceaccording to claim 1 further including a punch press driven by saiddrive means and disposed upstream of the intermittently operated feedmeans and through which the continuous web is passed and punched. 7.Device according to claim 1, wherein the constantly operated feed meanscomprises a friction feed.
 8. Device according to claim 7, wherein thefriction feed includes a perforated drum having a vacuum chamber whichis defined by stationary radial walls and to which a vacuum is appliedand which may be varied via a control valve.
 9. Device according toclaim 7, wherein the friction feed includes a perforated drum in which avariable vacuum chamber is formed by a first fixed radial wall and asecond radial wall rotatable on a shaft, to which vacuum chamber aconstant vacuum is applied.
 10. Device according to claim 9, wherein thesecond radial wall is provided with a circular segment extending alongthe inner wall of the perforated drum.
 11. Device according to claim 9,wherein the second radial wall is moved via a lever which is guided on acam.